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Club Sando Moruga handed FC Santa Rosa a 2-nil defeat at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya yesterday to deprive the Keith Look Loy-coached team of a precious fourth place finish in the CNG NSL Premiership.
The Premiership division’s fourth placed team will receive a cash reward of $80,000 while first to third will receive $240,000, $120,000 and $100,000 respectively. (All TT dollars)
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
But Santa Rosa were put out of the running for prize money yesterday, as they failed to conquer their southern opponents who turned up with just 12 players.
“The mentality of the players (is to blame),” Look Loy told Wired868, after the final whistle. “When we went out, (we saw that Club Sando Moruga) only had 12 players. They had one sub on the bench. I told them we still had to play, we still had to win.
“We lost by one goal to Guaya and Defence Force and now we come and lose to a team that had one man on the bench!”
Despite having just eleven outfield players available yesterday, the Moruga boys showed their hosts that they meant business early.
Sando Moruga striker Nigel John was especially lively on the counter attack in the opening moments and twice forced Rosa goalkeeper Kitwanna Manning into saves inside the first ten minutes.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
The striker ought to have scored in the first instance too, as he found himself clean through on goal after some miscommunication between Rosa defenders Kerron Reid and Alfie James.
And, after a point blank miss by midfielder Kellon Lafortune, Sando Moruga finally made Rosa pay in the 11th minute, as playmaker Marcus Dick finished sweetly with his left boot from just inside the area after shaking off the attentions of Reid.
The southern outfit continued to find holes in the Rosa defence in the first half and central midfielder Kyle Morgan nearly doubled the visitors’ advantage with a lobbed effort in the 23rd minute, after latching on to a clever lofted pass by his skipper Glendon Phillip.
At the other end, Santa Rosa striker Rashad Griffith desperately tried to pull his team back into the contest during his running battle with centre backs Anderson Toussaint and Trevon Mitchell.
In the 28th minute, Griffith saw his curling effort from just inside the penalty area deflected wide, after getting on the end of a smooth build up between midfielders Osei Sandy and Keston Henry down the left flank.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
Then, in first half stoppage time, the Rosa striker failed to keep his header on frame while under heavy duress from Sando Moruga goalkeeper Kevin John.
Santa Rosa have flirted with a top four spot for most of the second half of the Premiership season. And Look Loy’s charges started to show glimpses of their quality early in the second half, as central midfielders Durwin Ross and Shaka Pilgrim began to dictate the pace.
Sandy was growing in confidence as well and looked to have the beating of Sando Moruga right back Kareem Gill.
Griffith, who has seven Premiership goals, still looked to be Rosa’s likeliest goal scorer. But the striker had problems sorting out his heading angles.
In the 55th minute, Griffith’s looping header was nonchalantly plucked out from under the crossbar by the opposing goalkeeper before the striker glanced another headed effort just wide of the back post, six minutes later.
Pilgrim was Griffith’s provider on both occasions and he was running out of patience with the striker.
“Make the f#*@ing run in the space!” Pilgrim shouted, at his teammate.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
Look Loy responded by replacing Griffith with Jean-Paul Aqui-Blanc in the 65th minute. But not before the striker offered up another talking point, as he was roughed up in the box while trying to shield the ball out for a corner kick.
Referee Gregory Guevarra decided it was not worthy of a penalty kick.
As the game grew increasingly stretched, the speedy John (N) struck a killer blow in an 82nd minute counter attack, as he applied a sweet, first time finish past the Rosa custodian, following some excellent wide play by his namesake, Marcus John.
Santa Rosa desperately threw bodies forward, including centre back and captain Jovan Rochford, in search of a late item. But there was nothing doing for the home team in their final home game of the season.
A frustrated Rochford earned a straight red card after the final whistle for telling Guevarra a few special words. And they were not: “I love you.”
“This is match 31 and they’re getting that nonsense match after match after match,” said Look Loy. “By the time you come to the end of the season in a must win game. He got frustrated and told the referee something.”
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
The Santa Rosa coach, who is a CONCACAF technical committee member, admitted that his club did not deserve three points yesterday. But he was still far from pleased with the level of officiating in the competition.
“I won’t talk about the referee influencing the outcome,” Look Loy told Wired868. “I am saying that we didn’t deserve to win the match. (But) I am saying that in general the referees are killing football and they are frustrating players. And nothing is being done to improve the quality of the refereeing.
“And this has nothing to do with showing DVDs and having training sessions with instructors. They are just not good referees, they are not capable.
“We need to create conditions that will attract better quality persons, a more intelligent and more open person into refereeing.”
Elsewhere, Josimar Belgrave and his Defence Force teammates took their game against Matura Re United out of the hands of the officials and their opponents, as they romped to a 6-0 victory to go seven points clear atop the Premiership table.
The former Pro League player helped himself to a beaver trick as he took his tally to a league-leading 25 goals.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
Second place Guaya United’s own title challenge take a nosedive as they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to third place Tobago FC Phoenix 1976 in Guayaguayare.
At the foot of the table, only six points separate 11th place Petrotrin Palo Seco (27 points) from 14th place Real Maracas (21 points) in the 15-team table.
The bottom two clubs will be relegated to the NSL championship Division and cellar-placed Stokely Vale , who have 16 points, may need a minor miracle to escape the drop with just three games left.
(Teams)
FC Santa Rosa (4-2-1-3): 22.Kitwana Manning (GK); 3.Kerron Reid, 13.Jovan Rochford (captain), 5.Alfie James, 24.Jesse Reyes; 11.Durwin Ross, 8.Shaka Pilgrim; 26.Keston Henry (14.Avery Cabralis 55); 7.Rashad Griffith (21.Jean-Paul Aqui-Blanc) 65), 25.Devon King (10.Anthony Smith 40), 15.Osei Sandy.
Unused Substitutes: 30.Darren Shah (GK), 17.Kearn Noel, 18.Johan De Bique, 19.Gary Bart.
Coach: Keith Look Loy
Club Sando Moruga (4-1-4-1): 1.Kevin John (GK); 5.Kareem Gill (4.Dareem Ramkhalawan 65), 16.Anderson Toussaint, 15.Trevon Mitchell, 12.Aaron Julien; 13.Glendon Phillip (captain); 27.Kellon Lafortune, 2.Kyle Morgan, 25.Maurice Dick, 17.Marcus John; 10.Nigel John.
Coach: Desmond Bailey
Referee: Gregory Guevarra
Man of the Match: Nigel John (Club Sando Moruga)
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
NSL Premiership Division results
(Thursday January 21)
FC Santa Rosa 0, Club Sando Moruga 2 (Maurice Dick 11, Nigel John 82), Marvin Lee Stadium;
Marabella Family Crisis Centre 1 (Juma Clarence 7), Real Maracas 2 (Aaron Peters, Michael Yaw Darko 40), Mannie Ramjohn Stadium;
Petrotrin Palo Seco 0, Bethel United 1 (Nkosei Chance 19), Palo Seco Velodrome;
Siparia Spurs 2 (Andy London 13, Daniel Diaz 61), WASA FC 0, Petrotri Ground, Fyzabad;
Defence Force FC 6 (Josimar Belgrave 8, 21, 78, 80, Michael Edwards 25, Lorenzo King 75), Matura Re United 0, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Guaya United 1 (Carlon Hughes 90), Tobago Phoenix FC 1976 2 (Onasi Forde 10, Shelton Williams 62), Guaya Recreation Ground;
La Horquetta SA 4 (Kern Roberts 54, 57, 90, Omeaku Barbour 74), Police FC 1 (Dwight Elliott 51), Larry Gomes Stadium.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Upcoming fixtures
(Sunday January 24)
La Horquetta SA v Stokely Vale FC, 4 pm, Larry Gomes Stadium training ground;
Club Sando Moruga v Real Maracas, 4 pm, Grand Chemin Recreation Ground;
Marabella Family CC v Petrotrin Palo Seco, 4 pm, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium;
Matura ReUnited v Guaya United, 4 pm, Matura Recreation Ground;
Bethel United v Siparia Spurs, 5 pm, Montgomery Recreation Ground;
WASA FC v Defence Force, 5 pm, Maracas Recreation Ground;
Tobago FC Phoenix 1976 v Police FC, 5 pm, Canaan Recreation Ground.
(Courtesy Kerlon Orr/Wired868)
NSL Premiership Standings (Tabulated as Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)
Defence Force 26-19-3-4-64-29-60
Guaya United 24-17-2-5-64-38-53
Tobago FC Phoenix 27-15-5-7-51-34-50
Mature Re United 25-13-5-7-45-45-44
FC Santa Rosa 27-11-7-9-44-37-40
Siparia Spurs 25-10-8-7-55-55-38
WASA FC 25-11-4-10-36-27-37
Marabella Family CC 27-9-9-9-56-53-36
Police FC 26-10-5-11-54-45-35
Club Sando Moruga 26-10-5-11-45-48-35
Petrotrin Palo Seco 25-7-6-12-44-50-27
Bethel United 25-7-2-16-31-49-23
La Horquetta SA 25-6-4-15-41-66-22
Real Maracas 25-6-3-16-31-50-21
Stokely Vale FC 25-3-7-15-24-59-16
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Why bother to give a red card after the game? Is there some rule that allows it to carry over somewhere?
Yes. The suspension carries over to the next game. And if it is a straight red card, which is likely, that makes it an automatic two-game suspension usually. His season might be over.
I really think it’s unnecessary to give red cards after the match is over but ok.
Why would you think so Chabeth Haynes, are you saying a player is free to cuss a referee left, right & center (not saying it happened in this instance) while walking off the field & not be punished for it. Irregardless of the situation players must control themselves
I’m saying the match is over and done with. Why carry it on to another day. To me it’s like ending an argument and allowing it to have carry over effect a couple days later.
But no, people shouldn’t be cussing anybody…
Chabeth Haynes I understand your point but FIFA rules is as such, infact if the player abuses the referee the next day he can be reported
Wasn’t suggesting it was a violation of rules or anything… was just saying exactly what I said.
There are many things that can happen after the final whistle that warrant red cards, including full on brawls.
Hey Lasana… Somehow now seeing this. In any case… Wasn’t suggesting that there aren’t things that happen post-match that wouldn’t warrant punishment. Just saying I find it odd to give referees authority over players beyond the life of a match. Does that happen in any other sport? I don’t think it happens in the NBA for example. Two guys have a brawl by one of the team’s buses and the refs don’t come running out and start teeing up players. Do they? The issue is sent to the league’s disciplinary committee as far as I know.
And it doesn’t happen in life either I don’t think. Principals don’t discipline kids for something that happened on a Saturday in a non related school activity, do they? Or the Speaker of the House doesn’t have authority over members outside of Parliamentary sittings, does she? Or over conduct that has nothing to do with what’s happening in Parliament, right?
The key thing here is they were still on the field. If it happens when referee has left field but before teams leave ground, it will be a matter of who sees it can report to league.
Obviously if both teams leave stadium and something happens on the street, it is a matter for the police.
And, yes, school principals do act on things involving a student after school hours. The key is if the child was in school uniform.
If not, it is someone else’s problem. I actually don’t think it weird at all.
Don’t know about NBA but it is certainly standard in football. And in boxing, it is common that administrators consider even stuff in one’s life outside of the ring before deciding whether to grant license to fight.
Yeah…if the kid is in school uniform etc etc. which is why I said non related school activity on a Saturday when generally speaking kids aren’t in uniform.
That boxing thing…Idk that any real consideration is given given the fact that Mayweather doesn’t seem to run into too much trouble to get to fight despite his run-ins with the law.
I take your point about whether it’s on the field or not. I still think it’s odd. Might be standard in football. Doesn’t mean it’s the standard concept in life though.
And the oddity for me isn’t a referee reporting a problem post-match…it’s the actual ability of a referee to issue a red card after the match is over and arguably his/her authority over players should be over.